Written by Admin and published on https://www.allstate.com/.
It can happen to anyone—you’re adding more oil to your car, lawnmower or snowblower, and you accidentally spill some on your driveway. Or you order a pizza, and while you’re paying the delivery person, their car leaks oil on your pavement. Now what?
There are ways to remove fresh oil spills and set-in stains from asphalt and concrete driveways. To keep your driveway looking new and clean, follow our removal tips as soon as you notice a stain on your driveway. Keep reading to learn how to clean asphalt and concrete pavement.
How to Remove Automotive Stains From Your Driveway or Garage
Contents
Whether your car sprung a leak or you spilled gasoline while filling up the lawnmower or snow blower, it can be easy for your driveway to end up with a few stains. Oil, transmission fluid and gasoline can leave behind spots that make your driveway or garage floor look greasy or discolored.
Regardless of whether a spot is new or old, follow these steps to help remove automotive stains from your paved driveway or uncoated concrete garage floor.
How to Remove Oil Stains
Oil can leave a dark stain on pavement, but you may be able to clean even stubborn spots out of your driveway. Good Housekeeping suggests following these steps to get oil stains out of your driveway or garage floor:
- If the spill is still wet, cover the stain with clay cat litter, sand, cornmeal, cornstarch or baking soda. This will help absorb the oil before it soaks into the cement.
- Once the spill has dried, sweep up the absorbent material. Then, wet the stain with water. If it’s a set-in stain, start the removal process by spraying the stain with water.
- Use a stiff brush, such as a broom, and scrub the area with a paste made of baking soda and water.
- Use a hose to rinse the pavement clean. Let it air dry.
Some other possible solutions include:
- Covering the stain with spray lubricant and then rinsing with water, says Reader’s Digest.
- Putting a paste of powdered laundry detergent and water on the stain, says BobVila.com. After letting it sit, scrub it with a broom or brush and rinse the spot off with water.
- Scrubbing the stain with a grease-cutting dish detergent and a stiff broom, according to BobVila.com.
- Spraying the oil spot with a microbial stain remover, says The Spruce. This type of stain remover is biodegradable, and you can later clean the area with soap and water.
How to Remove Transmission Fluid Stains
Transmission fluid spills or leaks may leave a bright red stain on light-colored concrete. Here are some suggested steps for removing the stain from Reader’s Digest:
- Spray the stain with oven cleaner and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use a stiff brush to scrub the spot. Then, rinse with a hose at its highest pressure.
- If the stain is still there, repeat the process.
Original post here https://www.allstate.com/tr/car-insurance/how-to-remove-oil-from-driveway.aspx.
